Share snapshots of your present ENDGAME =D

Agreed. He needs to upgrade to the A&ultima SP2000.

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I assume you mean the Astell & Kern co-branded Van Nuys case?

It’s kind of annoyingly expensive for a case ($150), but it is very well made and a perfect fit for the SP1000 + Amp. I went all-in on that case for the SP1000 since the size and weight of that player/amp combo makes it rather semi-portable, and perhaps a little more prone to damaging itself or something else simply from momentum. I like that I can toss that case in my work bag or a carry-on and not worry about the DAP, and I always have a means to top off the charge when needed.

By contrast, I spent all of $9 on a “hard drive” case for my SP1000M:

That case has an elastic strap to hold the DAP, an internal padded divider to protect the screen, and a little pouch for its USB cable. Performs the same job as the Van Nuys case with similar ruggedness, a little extra style, and a less optimal (but “good enough”) fit.

The SP1000+Amp is the “drive anything” portable reference source, whereas the M is the streamlined portable unit for IEMs / on-the-go.

Amazingly, the KPH30i passed the “Ticket to Ride” test.

At the very end of the last track on DSotM there is an accidental bit of Beatles hiding in the noise floor (see Wikipedia link above). I first discovered it by accident while listening to Stellias on that same DAP. Now it has become a fun litmus test for various playback chains to see whether I can detect that sonic watermark.

On exceptionally resolving gear it’s clear as day. Even on a lot of even decent gear it’s too quiet to pick up, or at least not so easy to make out–the kind of thing you’d never notice if you didn’t already know it was there.

On the KPH30i I can hear the melody of the string part pretty well, which really speaks to the clarity and detail retrieval of these super-inexpensive on-ears. I’m even getting a hint of it from my phone (Note 9 / Tidal app), though I really have to strain to pick that up.

The highs are pretty severely rolled off (missing?) on these little phones, but otherwise they are certainly respectable. I can see why they’ve gotten the attention they have. I feel like I ought to pack them up with the space blanket, flashlight and fire-starting gear in my truck, so that if I ever get stranded while 4-wheeling I will have “Emergency HiFi,” lol. Either that, or take them to Best Buy and leave them among the Beats and Skullcandies with a note that says “Life is Too Short for Bad Audio.”

Nooooo!!! :dizzy_face:

Still have the AK380 pictured above on the mousepad, the SP1000 and M described here, and a Kann Cube that’s a less-endgame alternative to the SP1000+Amp for using as an XLR-out source or driving power-hungry cans. And my wife got the SR15 because it’s uber-tiny. I don’t need another A&K player, lol.

The Topping D90 scratched my “needs an AKM4499” itch. I can slum it with the 1000 for life on the go. :rofl:

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Actually, I was referring to the saddle brown leather slip-case of @Ohmboy’s.

But the gear you posted is nice too. :+1:t4:

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Lol, nice!

That one’s mine, too, actually. :slight_smile: He was quoting my earlier post (or at least copied my pic).

I got that case with my AK380; it really complements the “meteoric titan” bronze color nicely. It has worn well, too, developing a nice “well-loved” patina over time. Astell&Kern really do quality cases.

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Oh well, you can even hear it on YouTube, @ 1:50. Neat!

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@SpeleoFool Those IEMs look very unique and beautiful! What are they? I have never seen them.

Campfire Solaris, pretty nice (although they are large in the ear lol)

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@M0N beat me to it, but yes: Solaris. There’s a smancy special edition available, too, with abalone shell inlaid and a new ceramic acoustic chamber for a few more Franklins.

Campfire have multiple flagships; they’re best known for Andromeda, the OG version of which is a pure BA design with wonderfully smooth and detailed mids and great airy highs. Then there’s Atlas, which is a single 10mm dynamic driver that kicks serious bass while retaining great clarity in the mids. Solaris is a hybrid, combining the same dynamic driver used in Atlas with BAs for the mids and highs. They’re my favorite of the Campfire lineup–similar to Andromeda with more (but well-controlled) bass. They are big, though, and some people have had problems getting a good fit.

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Might be time to make some craigslist ads for all the other stuff after getting this…anybody interested in some nice sounding silver Schiit? :sweat_smile:

RME ADI-2 DAC paired with Andromedas, I don’t know what would be more endgame (that isn’t 10000000000x the price)

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That stacks nicely with the Asgard. I want that dac so bad

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I’d bet you’re a better singer than J-Lo though.

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The Army has been doing research into using sound waves as a weapon. J-Lo is the result.

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RME ADI-2 and Polaris II are my endgame at the moment

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Mine would be a Chord Hugo TT 2 and the 64 Audio Tia Trio :heart_eyes::heartbeat:

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Oh yeah !!!

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Nice choice!

  • would be mine too

In the meantime, the only IEM my ADI 2 DAC fs (4493) saw, is the Tin Hifi T4
So it is a long way from T4 to the Tia :smiley:

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Beautiful.

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Nice, got the same stack and have been pleased for the most part. Clean power, flexible outputs, and tons of user configurable settings. For most people that would be the end unless we want to flavor our setups, but I’m really happy with my upstream gear. I went with the xDSD and they look the same as the xCAN from the right side. I use it as my DD amplification for my IEMs and only regret music controls being built in unlike similar products, like the Q5S, or smaller products, like the ES100 or BTR5. I have a 2 hour commute total per day and find myself charging by Wednesday. I use Bluetooth and keep all other options off. I have been considering the DX160 for my wired needs as stacking my phone and amp is cumbersome. As for my desktop setup, my only gripe with the 789 is the lack of width to match the RME. IIRC, the Monoprice stacks evenly and shaved 1db of SINAD off. I sometimes think about selling my 789 for those superficial reasons.